


Out Of Harm's Way

by SlytherinFreak



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bullying, Child Neglect, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Mental Health Issues, Other, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:55:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26874031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinFreak/pseuds/SlytherinFreak
Summary: Based in 1975, young Severus is alone and frightened.
Relationships: Eileen Prince/Severus Snape, Lily Evans Potter/Severus Snape, Severus Snape/Tobias Snape, Sirius Black/Peter Pettigrew/James Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Out Of Harm's Way

CHAPTER ONE

Sunlight streamed through the dreary, yellowed windows, and the residents of spinners end were practically immobilised from the insufferable heat surrounding them. Even the children had taken to the shade of their houses, so tired from the heat that even playing in the street was too much for them.

For Severus, though, anywhere was better than home, even in this weather. His parents were probably passed out and the idea of being anywhere near them or the puke-stained carpet…?

No thank-you very much.

Instead, he had taken refuge in a small wooded clearing by the big, smelly river that ran near his house, deep in his thoughts.

The boy had never really felt anything, much, but he certainly had a lot on his mind. It danced around his head like flies to a honeypot, relentless, noisy, sticky… never ending. He did wish they would end, sometimes, but he tried not to linger on this idea too much because dangerous suggestions would begin to appear in his head, like popcorn that was being ruptured from kernels.

Not that he’d actually ever tasted popcorn, but he’d heard it tasted nice, and people at school seemed to like it. They always came back from honeydukes with great big bags of the stuff, but of course, no one ever offered him any and he had too much pride to ask. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but breathe in the sweet, wholesome smell, with an air of sadness upon remembering he had no money to buy his own. Even so, he would never let that on, and he kept his face impassive.

In a couple of days, he would be returning to Hogwarts, and even though it wasn’t the most pleasurable of places, it was a damn sight better than where he was now. It wasn’t much, but it was home.

He straightened himself up and began walking back to the estate he lived on… it was getting late and if he stayed out much longer, the neighborhood boys would find him and in comparison to them, even the house seemed desirable. 

Well, perhaps not. 

But even so, he continued on his journey home, and with all his might, tried not to look back. Looking back never helped anybody, it just made things worse, and for Severus, things were bad enough as it is.

He braced himself for the smell, and with a deep breath, pushed open the battered old door to reveal the dark hallway that lay beyond. His parents were nowhere to be seen, as per usual, and instead of looking for them, he headed straight up to his room. With quiet, gentle feet, he slowly transcended the stairs, and everything was going fine until...

_creeeeeaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkk_

He froze, foot suspended in midair, and hoped his parents hadn't heard him. For a moment or two, the house was silent, and Severus thought that perhaps this time he had been lucky, that he could just go to bed without issue. But no. His luck sucked. A loud, booming voice echoed from the kitchen, and before he could move, a shadow appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"BOY!!!!!!! Coming in without saying hello, are we? Think you can just slip in without giving your old dad a nod of recognition, eh? I think not!! Get your arse down here NOW!!!!"

His fathers words were clear enough, but slightly slurred at the edges, and Severus could tell he was in trouble. He had no choice but to abide with his fathers wishes, and with trembling legs, traipsed back down the stairs. His father grabbed him by his collar, and the smell of liquor hit him like an express train.

"Wheres your manners, hm? Haven't we raised you better, boy?"

The broken light bulb that hung above them started to flicker, and with a sizzle, started to spark, and although Severus couldn't help it, he felt a grim satisfaction that he might be able to scare his father the way the latter scared him. The old man looked up, before returning his glance to the trembling boy before him. 

"You think i'm not used to that by now? Your whore of a mother never did any better, and it may have scared me at the beginning but now it's nothing more than laughable. Bet you think you're the big man now, bet you think you're better than me!! WELL YOU'RE NOT! YOU'RE NOTHING!!"

A blow to the head and Severus was free to go. He tried not to run back up the stairs, but even so, couldn't help but quicken his pace as he approached his bedroom door. Pulling it shut behind him, he stumbled over to his mattress in the corner, his legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed down onto his "bed". Here, he could finally let down his barriers and express the fear within him, without fear of judgement or punishment for his weakness.

He let out a broken sob, and pressed the blankets to his face, muffling the whimpering that was emerging from his throat like a wounded animal. If he were at school, he would just be able to cast the "muffliato" charm, but seeing as he was outside Hogwarts grounds, legally, he couldn't. 

Why wouldn't anyone help him?

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is my first fanfic, and admittedly it might not be the best, but I tried XD.


End file.
